Mast size question

[MQMurphy]

The mast that came with my 'project' boat has a rather large crack in it, just about halfway up the length. I've been given a mast and boom. The mast that was on my boat is 30' long and approximately 3.5" x 5" with a sail slot for rope.
The gift mast is 30' long, but about 4" x 6" in cross section. I don't have accurate weights for the two masts, but if the new mast weighs about 1lb./lineal foot more than the old mast will this be a problem? My boat, a 1967 Paceship Westwind 24 is a heavy centerboard boat - 4630 lbs. I intend to rework the cabin top - there are cracks in the top from the existing mast step. I plan to make a laminated beam to beef up the support. The difference in cross section of the masts doesn't concern me too much. I'll redo the step - probably add a new hinged base.
I have friends locally who express concern about the weight aloft - will that extra 30 lbs. translate into a problem when I'm heeled over?

[kendall]

couldn't realy say with certainty, but I'd think it wouldn't have a lot of effect,
rig rite has a couple sections are fairly close to these two, 5.5x3.3 and 6x4 and the difference in weight is less than half a pound per foot, the next one up 6.3x4 shows a .04 difference, don't think it would make a big difference as the weight is pretty well distributed.

some people have more weight than that bolted to the mast for the fun of it.

if it's free and in good shape, I'd run it.

ken.

[Tim]

30 pounds won't make or break your boat. 30 pounds all concentrated at the top of the spar might make some noticeable difference, but distributed over the whole spar, I expect you'd never notice.

The new spar you have is only a small amount larger than the old, and I'd say you'd be just fine using it.

[Matt B.]

I have friends locally who express concern about the weight aloft - will that extra 30 lbs. translate into a problem when I'm heeled over?

Not likely. The added 30 lbs. isn't at the masthead, its distributed along the length of the mast, so it's effect on the roll of the boat is much less than you might immediately think. With a boat mass of over 4600 lbs., I doubt you'd even notice the added motion.

Also, the old mast cracked - why? Maybe it was a manufacturing defect or a "traumatic" incident, but if it "just broke" one day, that might be an indicator that the beefier mast is a good choice. I don't know that the Westwind 24 suffers from a problem in that area; I know the mast on the Cal 20 started out as a tapered 2.5 x 4 and was changed out early on for a stronger 2 5/8" x 4" straight section, and I still see frequent mention of mast replacements being required. (Though that may have more to do with the popularity of the Cal 20 as a racing boat in San Francisco...)

[MQMurphy]

Thanks, fellas - of course I was hoping you wouldn't see a problem, but I didn't want to assume that it'd be okay. Great answers, BTW, starting with Ken:

some people have more weight than that bolted to the mast for the fun of it.

and Tim, as always, thanks.

Matt, I've heard about that SF Bay. The fellow who ran aground here at Cape May recently has sailed SF Bay a lot - his opinion was ". . . if you can sail San Francisco Bay, you can sail anywhere." Uh, maybe Delaware Bay might have a surprise or two for you, though.
My mast cracked from a trauma that occurred at the slip - between the time that I paid for the boat and the time that I towed the boat away :( .
Anyway, thanks for the opinions, That'll be a chunk-o-dough that I'll gladly spend on something else. Like a new outboard.